Pro Tools
®Menus Guide
Copyright
This guide is copyrighted ©2007 by Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Digidesign.
AudioSuite, Avid, Avid DNA, AVoption, Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack, DigiDelivery, Digidesign, DigiTranslator, DV Toolkit, M-Audio, Mbox, Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice.
Contents iii
contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
. . . 1Chapter 2. Pro Tools Menu (Mac Only)
. . . 3About Pro Tools . . . 3
Preferences . . . 3
Mac Application Management Commands. . . 3
Quit Pro Tools. . . 3
Chapter 3. File Menu
. . . 5New Session. . . 5 Open Session . . . 6 Open Recent. . . 6 Close Session. . . 6 Save . . . 6 Save As . . . 6 Save Copy In. . . 6 Revert to Saved . . . 7
Send via DigiDelivery. . . 8
Send to Sibelius . . . 8 Bounce to Commands. . . 8 Import . . . 10 Export . . . 11 Get Info . . . 12 Exit . . . 12
Chapter 4. Edit Menu
. . . 13 Undo. . . 13 Redo. . . 13 Cut . . . 13 Copy. . . 14 Paste . . . 14 Clear. . . 14 Cut Special . . . 14 Copy Special . . . 14 Paste Special. . . 15 Clear Special . . . 15 Select All. . . 15 Selection. . . 16 Duplicate. . . 16 Repeat . . . 16 Shift . . . 16 Insert Silence. . . 16 Snap To. . . 16 Trim Region. . . 17 Separate Region . . . 17 Heal Separation. . . 17 Strip Silence . . . 18 Consolidate . . . 18TCE Edit to Timeline Selection. . . 18
Thin Automation. . . 18
Automation . . . 18
Contents v
Chapter 5. View Menu
. . . 21Narrow Mix. . . 21 Mix Window . . . 21 Edit Window. . . 22 Rulers . . . 22 Region. . . 22 Automation . . . 23 Sends A–E . . . 23 Sends F–J. . . 23 Track Number. . . 24 Transport . . . 24 System Usage. . . 24 Disk Space. . . 24 Main Counter . . . 24
Chapter 6. Track Menu
. . . 25New Track . . . 25
Group. . . 25
Duplicate . . . 26
Split into Mono. . . 26
Make Inactive or Make Active. . . 27
Delete . . . 27
Write MIDI Real-Time Properties. . . 27
Set Record Tracks to Input Only . . . 27
Set Record Tracks to Auto Input. . . 27
Auto Input Monitoring or Input Only Monitoring . . . 28
Scroll To Track . . . 28
Clear All Clip Indicators . . . 28
Coalesce VCA Master Automation. . . 28
Coalesce Trim Automation. . . 28
Clear Trim Automation. . . 28
Chapter 7. Region Menu
. . . 29 Mute/Unmute Region. . . 29 Lock/Unlock Region. . . 29 Send to Back. . . 29 Bring To Front . . . 29 Group . . . 30 Ungroup . . . 30 Ungroup All . . . 30 Regroup . . . 30 Loop. . . 30 Unloop . . . 30 Capture Region . . . 30Identify Sync Point and Remove Sync Point . . . 31
Quantize to Grid. . . 31
Chapter 8. Event Menu
. . . 33Time. . . 33
Tempo. . . 35
MIDI . . . 36
MIDI Event List. . . 40
MIDI Track Offsets . . . 40
MIDI Real-Time Properties. . . 41
Remove Duplicate Notes. . . 41
Add Key Change. . . 41
Beat Detective. . . 41
Identify Beat . . . 42
Renumber Bars . . . 42
All MIDI Notes Off. . . 42
Chapter 9. AudioSuite Menu
. . . 43EQ Plug-ins . . . 43
Dynamics Plug-ins . . . 44
Pitch Shift Plug-ins. . . 44
Reverb Plug-ins . . . 44
Contents vii
Harmonic Plug-ins. . . 45
Noise Reduction Plug-ins. . . 45
Instrument Plug-ins. . . 45
Other Plug-ins. . . 46
Chapter 10. Options Menu
. . . 47Destructive Record . . . 47
Loop Record. . . 47
QuickPunch . . . 48
TrackPunch . . . 48
DestructivePunch . . . 48
Prepare DPE (DestructivePunch-Enabled) Tracks . . . 48
Transport Online . . . 48
Video Track Online . . . 48
Video Out FireWire . . . 49
Scrub in Video Window . . . 49
Pre/Post-Roll . . . 49
Loop Playback . . . 49
Dynamic Transport Mode. . . 49
Scrolling. . . 49
Link Timeline and Edit Selection. . . 50
Link Track and Edit Selection. . . 50
Mirror MIDI Editing . . . 50
Automation Follows Edit . . . 51
Click . . . 51
MIDI Thru. . . 51
Mute Frees Assigned Voice. . . 51
Auto-Spot Regions. . . 51
Pre-Fader Metering . . . 51
Solo. . . . 51
Calibration Mode. . . 52
Delay Compensation. . . 52
Chapter 11. Setup Menu
. . . 53 Hardware. . . 53 Playback Engine. . . 54 Disk Allocation. . . 54 Peripherals . . . 55 I/O . . . 56Machine Track Arming Profiles . . . 57
Video Sync Offset. . . 57
Session. . . 57
Current Feet+Frames Position. . . 58
Current Time Code Position. . . 58
External Time Code Offset. . . 58
MIDI . . . 59
Click. . . 60
Preferences. . . 61
Chapter 12. Window Menu
. . . 77Mix. . . 77
Edit. . . 77
Hiding All Floating Windows . . . 77
Configurations . . . 77 Task Manager . . . 78 Workspace . . . 78 Project . . . 78 Browsers. . . 78 Transport. . . 78 Big Counter . . . 79 Automation . . . 79 Memory Locations . . . 79
Machine Track Arming . . . 79
Universe . . . 79
Video . . . 80
Color Palette . . . 80
Undo History . . . 80
Contents ix
Chapter 13. Help Menu
. . . 83Chapter 14. Region List
. . . 85Region List. . . 85
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
chapter 1
Introduction
This guide summarizes the Pro Tools menus, windows, and their associated commands and options.
References to Pro Tools LE™ in this guide are usually interchangeable with Pro Tools M-Powered™ and Pro Tools Academic™, except as noted in the Pro Tools M-Powered and Pro Tools Academic Getting Started Guides.
For complete instructions, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Chapter 2: Pro Tools Menu (Mac Only) 3
chapter 2
Pro Tools Menu (Mac Only)
The Pro Tools® Menu commands include links to Pro Tools Preferences, access to Mac OS X ap-plication management, and the Quit command.
About Pro Tools
The About Pro Tools command launches the Pro Tools banner, which includes the version number of your Pro Tools software.
Preferences
Pro Tools Preferences are available from both the Pro Tools Menu and the Setup menu. For more information, see “Preferences” on page 61.
Mac Application Management
Commands
(Services, Hide Pro Tools, Hide Others, Show All)
The Pro Tools menu also provides access to the following Mac OS X application management commands: Services, Hide Pro Tools, Hide Oth-ers, and Show All. For more information about these and other Mac OS X features, refer to your Apple Mac documentation.
Quit Pro Tools
The Quit Pro Tools command ends your Pro Tools session and closes the Pro Tools appli-cation.
Chapter 3: File Menu 5
chapter 3
File Menu
File menu commands are used to create and
maintain Pro Tools sessions.
New Session
The New Session command creates a new Pro Tools session. Before the session is created, you must name the session and choose its Audio File type, Sample Rate, Bit Depth, and I/O Set-tings in the New Session dialog.
File menu
Open Session
The Open command opens a session previously created with Pro Tools. Only one session can be open at a time.
Open Recent
The Open Recent command lets you open any of the 10 most recently opened Pro Tools ses-sions
Close Session
The Close command closes the current session without quitting Pro Tools. Pro Tools prompts you to save changes before closing the session.
Save
The Save command saves changes made since the last time the session was saved. You cannot undo the Save command.
Save As
The Save As command lets you save a copy of the current session under a different name, or in a different location. Because the Save As com-mand closes the current session and allows you to keep working on the renamed copy, it is use-ful for saving successive stages of the session.
Save Copy In
The Save Copy In command lets you save a copy of the currently selected session under a differ-ent name or in a differdiffer-ent location. Session me-dia can be included in the copy that you save, with options to save the media at a different bit depth, sample rate, fader gain level, or file for-mat type. Sessions can be saved in a variety of session formats for compatibility with older sys-tems. This command is useful for archiving ses-sions.
Unlike the Save As command, Save Copy In does not close the original session, so subsequent ed-its are made to the original session. The saved copy becomes a backup copy, and gives you the option of returning to the earlier version. When you Save Copy In with a lower bit rate, Pro Tools Dither with Noise Shaping will be ap-plied. The Dither setting used for any conver-sion is the Digidesign® Dither plug-in with Noise Shaping enabled.
Save Copy In dialog
For information on sharing sessions be-tween different platforms, Pro Tools sys-tems, or Pro Tools software versions, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
Chapter 3: File Menu 7 The Items To Copy section of this dialog
pro-vides several options for copying a session along with its associated files.
All Audio Files When selected, all audio files are copied to the new location. Selecting All Non-“file type” Audio Files copies all audio files ex-cept audio files of the specified audio file type. This option’s file type will always be the default audio file type of the session; so if the session’s default audio file type is WAV, the option will read All Non-WAV Audio Files. Selecting Don’t Copy Fade Files omits fade files from the copied data.
Session Plug-in Settings Folder When selected, the session’s Plug-in Settings Folder is copied to the new location. The references to these plug-in settplug-ings plug-in the session are redirected to the copied files.
Root Plug-in Settings Folder When selected, the contents of the root-level Plug-in Settings Folder are copied into a folder named Place in Root
Set-tings Folder, indicating that these files will need
to be moved to the root level plug-in settings folder on the destination system before you can use them. The references to these settings files in the session are not redirected to point to the cop-ied files.
Movie/Video Files When selected, the session’s video files are copied to the new location, and the references in the session are redirected to the copied movie or video file.
Preserve Folder Hierarchy When selected, the relative arrangement of session audio files lo-cated across different drives or folders is main-tained. The main folder for the session copy will include subfolders for each drive or folder in the original session and the destination subfolders will use the same names as the source drives and folders.
When this option is not selected, the Save Copy In command copies all files of the same type, re-gardless of their location, into a single destina-tion folder.
Revert to Saved
The Revert to Saved command restores the most recently saved version of a session, discarding all changes made since the last time you saved. Re-verting to the last saved version of a session is like closing the session without saving changes and reopening it.
Send via DigiDelivery
DigiDelivery® is Digidesign’s system for effi-cient and reliable transfer of digital media files over the Internet. Send via DigiDelivery lets you send a Pro Tools session and all of its related files using DigiDelivery from within Pro Tools. Anyone can send and receive files from a Delivery system, even if they do not own a Digi-Delivery network appliance, as follows:
◆To send a delivery, senders must have an In-ternet connection, an account on a DigiDelivery network appliance, and the DigiDelivery client application.
◆To receive a delivery, recipients only need an Internet connection and the DigiDelivery client application. An account on the network appli-ance is not needed.
Send to Sibelius
The Send To Sibelius command exports all MIDI and Instrument tracks to Sibelius or G7 notation software as a MIDI file. You can then further edit the notation in Sibelius (or G7) and print the score of your session.
Bounce to Commands
The Bounce to commands let you mix tracks to-gether into one file.
Bounce to Disk
The Bounce to Disk command allows you to mix together the outputs of all currently audible tracks routed to a common output path to create a new audio file. You can use the Bounce to Disk command to create a submix or to create a final mix in any of several audio file formats.
Bounce Source Selects the audio output path to bounce. Only audio routed to the selected path will be included in the bounce.
Enforce Avid Compatibility Creates frame-accu-rate edits, wraps the files as OMFI (unless File Type is MXF), and limits the sample rate options to 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. Dithering without noise shaping will be applied to files being exported from 24-bit to 16-bit.
For more information about DigiDelivery, see the DigiDelivery Guide.
Chapter 3: File Menu 9
File Type Selects the audio file type. Choices on all systems are BWF (.WAV), AIFF, MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP3), and QuickTime. Windows sys-tems also include Windows Media (Windows). Mac systems also include SD II and Sound Re-source. Systems with the DigiTranslator™ op-tion also support MXF audio files.
Certain file types are restricted in regards to for-mat, resolution, and sample rate.
Format Selects the channel format (number of channels). Choices are mono (summed), multi-ple mono, or interleaved.
Resolution Selects the bit depth. Choices are 24-bit, 16-bit, or 8-bit resolution.
Sample Rate Selects the sample rate.
Import After Bounce Automatically imports the audio after it is bounced and adds it to the Re-gion List so that it can be used in the session.
Additional Bounce Options
The following Bounce options are only available when bouncing to a different file type, format, resolution, or sample rate.
Conversion Quality Selects the quality, with op-tion ranging from Low to Tweak Head, when bouncing to a new sample rate.
Use Squeezer Optimizes the dynamics of the bounced audio before conversion to 8-bit reso-lution.
Convert During Bounce Automatically performs file type, sample rate, and bit resolution conver-sion as the file is being bounced.
Convert After Bounce Automatically performs file type, sample rate, and bit resolution conver-sion after the file has been bounced.
Bounce to QuickTime Movie
This command lets you bounce the main video track (QuickTime or Avid video) and a mono or stereo mixdown of your session to a new Quick-Time movie. Pro Tools will convert the audio tracks to the selected sample rate and bit resolu-tion, then create a new flattened movie with the bounced audio. As a QuickTime file, the new movie is supported by all software applications that support QuickTime video.
Whenever a Bounce to Disk is configured to a different file type, file format, resolution, or sample rate, additional options become available to convert during or after the bounce. See “Additional Bounce Options” on page 9 for more information.
The Import After Bounce option is only available if the target file type and sample rate for the bounce are the same as the file type and sample rate of the current session, and the target resolution (bit rate) is the same or lower than the resolution of the ses-sion. In addition, tracks bounced to a Stereo Interleaved file cannot be imported after a bounce.
Import
Pro Tools provides several menu commands to import files and regions into an open session.
Import Session Data
This command lets you import selected session data from an existing session into the current session. Options are provided for time code mapping, track offset options, sample rate con-version, and copying, converting, and
referenc-ing audio and video source files. The Import Ses-sion Data command also lets you import the Tempo Meter Map, and any Key Signature Maps, Markers/Memory Locations, and Window Con-figurations.
With Pro Tools HD® or Pro Tools LE™ with DV Toolkit™ 2, you can select specific session data (such as automation and routing) to import. You can also import main playlist options—ei-ther replacing existing options or overlaying el-ements onto existing tracks.
Chapter 3: File Menu 11
Import Audio
This command lets you import audio files into the current session. Audio files can be imported into a new track (and the Region List), or the Re-gion List only.
Import MIDI
The Import MIDI command imports all tracks from a Standard MIDI file into Pro Tools. MIDI files can be imported into a new track (and the Region List) or the Region List only.
Options are provided for importing the Session Start or Song Start Marker (if the marker is not located at the session start), importing tempo map data contained in the sequence, and re-moving existing Instrument or MIDI tracks.
Import Video
This command lets you import an Avid Video (Pro Tools|HD systems with an Avid video pe-ripheral only) or QuickTime into the main video track (and the Region List), a new track (and the Region List), or the Region List only.
The Import Video command can also be used to extract (import) audio from a Quicktime Movie.
Import Region Groups
This command lets you import region groups into the current session. Region groups can be imported into a new track (and the Region List) or the Region List only.
Export
Pro Tools provides several menu commands to export session tracks or data as files.
Export Selected Tracks as AAF/OMF
(DigiTranslator Option Only)The Export Selected Tracks as AAF/OMF com-mand exports selected tracks in AAF and OMFI format. Advanced Authoring Format (AAF) and Open Media Framework Interchange (OMFI) are industry standard file formats that facilitate the transfer of digital media between applications (such as Pro Tools and Avid Video editing soft-ware). If the DigiTranslator option is not in-stalled, the Export Selected Track as OMF com-mand will be greyed out in the File menu.
Export MIDI
This command lets you export your Pro Tools session or individual MIDI or Instruments tracks as a standard MIDI file. You can export the file as a Type 1 (multitrack) or Type 0 (merged) Stan-dard MIDI file. The exported MIDI file includes meter and tempo information, and any key sig-natures in your Pro Tools session.
Muted MIDI tracks will not be exported. This can be useful for storing libraries of your fa-vorite MIDI sequences or SysEx data (such as bulk or individual patch dumps for your exter-nal MIDI devices), or for importing MIDI into notation applications other than Sibelius or G7.
For more information, see the DigiTransla-tor 2.0 Integrated Option Guide.
Export Session Info as Text
(Pro Tools HD Only)This command exports the current session as a tab-delimited text file that can contain region and file names, extended timestamp informa-tion, and information about crossfades. You can export to any of several different text file formats (including Microsoft Word and Ex-cel).
Get Info
This command lets you enter and save informa-tion about the session.
Left-column text fields are topic fields. Text en-tered there is saved with your Pro Tools Prefer-ences and will appear in all sessions, allowing you to preset the field to topics that you com-monly use.
Right-column text fields are information fields and are session specific and will be saved with the session.
Exit
(Windows Only)
The Exit command ends your Pro Tools session and closes the Pro Tools application.
Chapter 4: Edit Menu 13
chapter 4
Edit Menu
Edit menu commands are used to edit and ma-nipulate the current selection and affect data in the timeline or the clipboard.
Undo
The Undo command lets you sequentially undo up to 32 of your previous actions. Certain com-mands and actions (such as saving) are not un-doable. The last command in the undo queue will appear in the menu (for example, “Undo Paste”).
If no actions are available to undo, the menu displays a grayed out Can’t Undo.
Redo
After undoing a command or action, you can redo it by choosing the Redo command. This is a good way to compare before and after states of edits.
If no actions are available to redo, the menu dis-plays a grayed out Can’t Redo.
Cut
This command cuts a selection out of its current location and stores it in memory so that you can paste it elsewhere.
Copy
This command copies a selection (leaving the original intact) and stores it in memory so that you can paste it elsewhere.
Paste
This command inserts cut or copied data into a location specified with an Edit tool (such as the Selector tool).
Clear
This command removes the contents within a selection in the Edit window.
Cut Special
The Cut Special commands let you cut just auto-mation data from the current selection (without associated audio, video, or MIDI notes) and place it in memory to paste elsewhere. Choices include:
All Automation Cuts all automation or MIDI controller data whether it is shown or not.
Pan Automation Cuts only pan automation or MIDI pan data whether it is shown or not.
Plug-in Automation Cuts only plug-in automa-tion that is shown.
Copy Special
The Copy Special commands let you copy just automation data from the current selection (without associated audio, video, or MIDI notes) and place a copy of it in memory to paste else-where.
All Automation Copies all automation or MIDI controller data whether it is shown or not.
Pan Automation Copies only pan automation or MIDI pan data whether it is shown or not.
Plug-in Automation Copies only plug-in automa-tion that is shown.
Chapter 4: Edit Menu 15
Paste Special
The Paste Special commands let you paste auto-mation data into another region (without affect-ing associated audio, video, or MIDI notes) in the following ways:
Merge Pastes MIDI controller data from the clip-board to the selection and merges it with any current MIDI controller data in the selection. This can be useful for consolidating MIDI data from several tracks into a single MIDI track.
Repeat to Fill Selection Pastes multiple itera-tions of audio, video, or MIDI data from the Clipboard to fill the selection. If you select an area that is not an exact multiple of the copied region size, the remaining selection area is filled with a trimmed version of the original selection. This allows you to easily create drum loops and other repetitive effects. Before the data is pasted, Pro Tools prompts you to specify a crossfade to smooth transitions between regions.
To Current Automation Type Pastes the automa-tion or MIDI controller data from the clipboard to the selection as the current type of automa-tion or continuous MIDI data. This lets you copy one type of automation data to another, or one type of continuous MIDI date to another type of contiguous MIDI data.
Clear Special
The Clear Special commands let you clear just automation data from the current region. Choices are:
All Automation Clears all automation or MIDI controller data whether it is shown or not.
Pan Automation Clears only pan automation or MIDI pan data whether it is shown or not.
Plug-in Automation Clears only plug-in automa-tion that is shown.
Select All
This command selects all audio and MIDI data in one or more tracks.
◆ To select all regions in a single track, select a portion of the track, or click the Selector any-where in a track and choose Select All.
◆ To select all regions on multiple tracks, Shift-click a region on each track with the Selector or Grabber and choose Select All.
◆ To select all regions on all tracks, Select the “All” Edit Group in the Groups List, click the Se-lector anywhere in a track, and choose Select All.
Selection
The Selection commands are for copying or playing Edit or Timeline selections.
Change Timeline to Match Edit When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, this com-mand copies the current Timeline selection to the an Edit selection.
Change Edit to Match Timeline When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, this com-mand copies the current Edit selection to the Timeline.
Play Edit This command plays an Edit selection
.
Play Timeline This command plays a Timeline selection.
Duplicate
This command copies a selection and places it immediately after the end of that selection in a track.
Repeat
This command is similar to Duplicate, but al-lows you to specify the number of times the se-lected material is duplicated. To use this com-mand, select the material you want to repeat, choose Repeat, then enter the number of repeti-tions.
Shift
This command moves track material earlier or later in time by a specified amount. To use this command, select the material you want to move, choose Shift, then enter the direction and time value.
Insert Silence
This command creates regions of silence. Make a selection on one or more tracks, choose Insert Silence, and precisely that amount of silence will be inserted.
With Pro Tools 7.2, the Insert Silence command inserts video black into a video track.
Snap To
This command provides two options for “butt splicing” successive elements on a track.
Previous Snaps a region (or Edit selection con-taining whole regions) to the end of the preced-ing region
Next Snaps a region (or Edit selection contain-ing whole regions) to the beginncontain-ing of the next region in a track.
Chapter 4: Edit Menu 17
Trim Region
This command provides several options for edit-ing region boundaries (includedit-ing looped re-gions).
To Selection This command removes data be-fore and after a region or MIDI note selection, leaving only the selection. This command lets you quickly remove all data in a region (and in some instances the entire track) except for the current selection.
When trimming regions that include fades or are adjacent to fade boundaries, the fades from the source region are adjusted to the new region boundaries.
Start to Insertion This command lets you trim a region or MIDI note by automatically removing the material between the Edit insertion point and the start point.
End to Insertion This command lets you trim a region or MIDI note by automatically removing the material between the Edit insertion point and the end point.
Start to Fill Selection This command lets you automatically reveal underlying material in the gaps between the region start and selection start points.
End to Fill Selection This command lets you au-tomatically reveal underlying material in the gaps between the selection end and region end points.
To Fill Selection This command lets you auto-matically reveal underlying material in the gaps before and after the selection.
Separate Region
These commands separate a region from adja-cent data in the track where it was created. By separating a region you will also create by-prod-uct regions from data on either side of the sepa-ration. The Separate Region commands auto-matically unloop and flatten looped regions before separating.
Separate Region includes the following com-mands:
At Selection This command creates new region boundaries at the selection start and end points. When separating regions that include fades, the status of the fade depends on the Preserve Fades when Editing preference.
On Grid This command constrains newly created regions to start and end on grid points.
At Transients This command automatically cre-ates region boundaries on detected transients within a selection.
Heal Separation
This command repairs separated regions, pro-vided that the regions are contiguous and their relative start and end points haven’t changed since they were originally separated. If you have trimmed or changed the start and end points of the two regions, or moved them away from each other, they cannot be repaired with the Heal Separation command.
Strip Silence
This command opens the Strip Silence window. Use this window to remove areas of silence from a selection. Strip Silence automatically divides a selection into regions, which can be useful for quantizing audio to musical values or SMPTE lo-cations.
Consolidate
This command consolidates multiple regions into a single region. When an audio track is con-solidated, a new audio file is written that en-compasses the selection range, including any blank space or fades.
TCE Edit to Timeline Selection
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE withDV Toolkit 2 Only)
This command uses the Time Compression/Ex-pansion plug-in to fit an audio selection to a Timeline selection. This is only possible when the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked.
Thin Automation
(Pro Tools LE Only)This command lets you selectively thin areas in a track where automation data is too dense and adversely affecting CPU performance. The amount of thinning performed is determined by the amount you have selected in the Automa-tion page of the Preferences dialog. Avoid over-thinning data or it may no longer accurately re-flect the original automation.
Automation
Copy to Send
(Pro Tools HD Only)This command lets you copy either the current values or automation of a selected track’s vol-ume, pan, mute, or LFE automation to the cor-responding playlist for the send. This is useful when you want a track’s send automation to mirror automation on the track itself.
Strip Silence window
Chapter 4: Edit Menu 19 To copy a track’s current control settings to a
send on that track, select Current Value. To copy the entire automation playlist for the track to a send, select Automation.
Thin Automation
(Pro Tools HD Only)This command lets you selectively thin areas in a track where automation data is too dense and adversely affecting CPU performance. The amount of thinning performed is determined by the amount you have selected in the Automa-tion page of the Preferences dialog. Avoid over-thinning data or it may no longer accurately re-flect the original automation.
Write to Current and Write to All
Enabled
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 Only)
These commands let you write automation states for one or more parameters to specific ses-sion locations in a single step. This saves you the trouble of performing multiple automation passes for different parameters in real time, or having to graphically draw automation state changes on individual automation playlists. Write to Current Parameters
This command writes the current value only to the currently displayed automation parameter. Write to All Enabled Parameters
This command writes the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Auto-mation Enable window.
Trim to Current and Trim to All Enabled
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE withDV Toolkit 2 Only)
These commands let you use trim values as snapshots and apply the relative changes or
delta values to the selected automation. This is
similar to the Write Automation command, ex-cept that it writes delta values instead of abso-lute values to automation data. You can use trim values in writing snapshot automation to any automatable parameter.
Trim to Current Parameter
This command trims the current value only to the currently displayed automation parameter. Trim to All Enabled Parameters
This command trims the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Auto-mation Enable window.
Glide to Current and Glide to All
Enabled
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 Only)
These commands let you manually create an au-tomation transition (or glide) from an existing automation value to a new one, over a selected area.
Glide to Current Parameter
This command applies Glide Automation only to the currently displayed automation parame-ter.
Glide Automation can also be used for au-tomating the Surround Panner.
Glide to All Enabled Parameters
This command applies the Glide Automation for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation Enable window.
Fades
These commands let you create (or delete) a crossfade between two adjacent audio regions, or a fade-in or fade-out of a single region. Cross-fade duration, position, and shape are all select-able. A selection that crosses multiple regions will create crossfades for each of the region tran-sitions. If a selection includes regions that al-ready contain crossfades, the existing crossfades will be modified.
Create The Create command produces a cross-fade between adjacent regions according to pa-rameters you specify with the Fades editor.
Delete The Delete command removes a cross-fade between adjacent regions.
Fade to Start The Fade to Start command creates a fade-in from the current insertion point to a region’s start point.
Fade to End The Fade to End command creates a fade-out from the current insertion point to a re-gion’s end point.
Chapter 5: View Menu 21
chapter 5
View Menu
View menu options and commands control the display of Pro Tools windows, tracks, and track data. Some View menu options toggle the dis-play of various Pro Tools windows or data: se-lecting the option displays the data, and dese-lecting the option hides the data.
Narrow Mix
This option reduces the width of Mix channels on-screen, allowing you to display the maxi-mum number of tracks on your computer mon-itor. In this view, track names, names of sends, and plug-in names are abbreviated to accommo-date the smaller view. To return to normal view width, choose this command again.
Mix Window
These options selectively display the following views in the Mix window:
• Mic Preamps (Pro Tools HD only) • Instruments
• Inserts • Sends A–E • Sends F–J
• Delay Compensation (Pro Tools HD only), • Track Color
• Comments
You can also select All of the displays, or None of them.
Edit Window
These options selectively display the following views in the Edit window:
• Comments
• Mic Preamps (Pro Tools HD only) • Instruments • Inserts • Sends A–E • Sends F–J • I/O • Real-Time Properties • Track Color • Transport
You can also select All of the displays, or None of them.
Rulers
These options selectively display various Time-base and Conductor rulers in the Edit window. In addition to providing a timing reference for track material, Timebase rulers are used to de-fine Edit and Timeline selections.
Besides selecting individual rulers, you can se-lect All of the rulers, or None of them. Timebase Rulers
Any or all of the following Timebase rulers can be displayed at the top of the Edit window:
• Bars:Beats • Minutes:Seconds
• Time Code (Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 only)
• Feet+Frames (Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 only) • Samples
In addition to providing a timing reference for track material, the Timebase rulers are also used to define Edit selections for track material, and
Timeline selections for record and play ranges.
Conductor Rulers
Any or all of the following Conductor rulers can be displayed:
• Markers
• Tempo (and Tempo Editor) • Meter
• Key Signature (and Key Signature Staff) The Tempo, Meter, and Key Signature rulers in-dicate changes in tempo, meter, and key signa-ture within the session. The Markers ruler dis-plays Markers to important track locations. The Tempo Editor is an expansion of the Tempo ruler, opening in the rulers section of the Edit window.
You can also show or hide the Key Signature Staff in the Key Signature ruler.
Region
These options selectively display various data in regions.
Sync Point This option lets you display or hide sync points in regions. Regions will align to a sync point regardless of its display status.
Name This option lets you display or hide a re-gion’s name in tracks in the Edit window. Hid-ing a display is useful if you are workHid-ing at a zoom level where region names obscure the view of audio waveforms.
Channel Name This option lets you display or hide channel names in regions.
Chapter 5: View Menu 23
Scene and Take This option lets you display or hide scene and take information in regions.
Overlap This option lets you display or hide the region overlap “dog-ear” corner that indicates overlapping region boundaries.
Current Time This option displays the time stamp of all regions placed in all tracks accord-ing to their current location in the track.
Original Time Stamp This option displays the Original Time Stamp of all regions in all tracks. When a region is created, it is time stamped rel-ative to the SMPTE start time specified for the session. This original time stamp is permanently stored with the region and cannot be changed. If a region is ever moved, it can easily be placed at its original position using the Spot dialog.
User Time Stamp This option displays the User Time Stamp of all regions in all tracks. When a file is first recorded, its User Time Stamp is iden-tical to its original time stamp. You can change the User Time Stamp using the Time Stamp Se-lected command in the Region List. This allows you to use a custom time stamp for spotting or re-spotting the region to a time location differ-ent from its Original Time Stamp.
No Time This option disables the time stamp dis-play in regions.
Automation
In addition to the main automation data dis-played in certain automation playlists, you can simultaneously display other automation data:
Trim Playlist If automation is not set to coalesce after every automation pass, this command dis-plays Trim automation data along with the main Volume or Send level automation data in the same automation view. This Trim automa-tion display cannot be directly edited.
Composite Playlist When a track is a VCA slave, you can display a composite automation playlist that shows the contribution of the VCA Master to the Volume or Mute automation data on the slave track. This composite playlist reflects the actual position of the Volume fader on the slave track. The composite playlist display cannot be directly edited.
Sends A–E
These options display either send assignments for all sends, or the controls for individual sends (Sends A–E). Select Assignment to display all five of these send assignments.
Sends F–J
These options display either send assignments for all sends, or the controls for individual sends (Sends F–J). Select Assignment to display all five of these send assignments.
Track Number
This command assigns each track a number cor-responding to its position in the Mix and Edit windows. When tracks are reordered, track numbers stay in positional sequence.
Transport
These options selectively displays Counters, MIDI Controls, and Expanded controls in the Transport window.
System Usage
(Pro Tools HD Only)The System Usage window shows the usage of DSP and CPU resources during a session. These options set the display format for the System Us-age window: • Small • Large • Detailed • Gas Gauge • Activity Only.
Disk Space
These options specify either a Text or Gas Gauge style display format for the Disk Space window. The Disk Space window shows how much re-cording time is currently available on each hard drive connected to your system.
Main Counter
These view options set how the Time Scale is dis-played in the Main Counter.
Bars:Beats This option displays the Time Scale in Bars and Beats. Use this Time Scale if you are working with musical material that must align with bars and beats.
Minutes:Seconds This option displays the Time Scale in minutes and seconds.
Time Code (Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 Only) This option displays the Time Scale in SMPTE frames. The Frame Rate and Ses-sion Start time are set from the SesSes-sion Setup window. Pro Tools supports the following frame rates: 24, 25, 29.97 Non-Drop, 29.97 Drop, 30 Non-Drop, and 30 Drop frames per second.
Feet+Frames (Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2 Only) This option displays the Time Scale in feet and frames for referencing audio-for-film projects. The Feet+Frames time display is based on the 35 millimeter film format.
Samples This option displays the Time Scale in samples. This format is useful for high-resolu-tion sample editing.
Chapter 6: Track Menu 25
chapter 6
Track Menu
Track menu commands are used to create, man-age, and edit tracks.
New Track
The New Track command lets you add one or more new audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master Faders, VCA Masters, MIDI tracks, Instrument tracks, or Video tracks to a session.
Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master fad-ers can be mono or stereo, or a greater-than-ste-reo multichannel format (Pro Tools HD only).
Group
This command opens the Group dialog, which lets you create, modify, duplicate, delete, and as-sign attributes to groups.
Track menu
New Track dialog
Mix Groups, Edit Groups, and
Mix/Edit Groups
Mix Groups only affect mixing functions and Edit Groups only affect editing. Mix/Edit Groups link the grouping functions of the Mix Group and the Edit Group.
Mix Groups in Pro Tools HD
Mix Groups in Pro Tools HD can be set to affect the following items:
• Main Volume • Main Mute • Main Pan • Main LFE Level • Record Enable • Input Monitoring • Solo • Automation Mode • Send Level • Send Mute • Send Pan • Send LFE Level • Plug-in Controls • Plug-in Bypass Mix Groups in Pro Tools LE
Mix Groups in Pro Tools LE always affect the fol-lowing:
• Main volume • Automation mode
Mix Groups in Pro Tools LE can also be set to af-fect the following:
• Main Mute • Solo • Send Level • Send Mute
Edit Groups
Edit Groups affect the following items in the Edit window:
• Track View • Track Height • Track Timebase
• Audio and MIDI editing functions • Automation editing functions
Duplicate
This command lets you define how many copies of a track you want to create, and specifies whether to copy audio or MIDI data, playlists, automation, and other attributes.
When duplicating multiple tracks, you can also choose to have the new tracks follow the last se-lected track (or have each new track follow its source track).
Duplicating a VCA slave track without duplicat-ing its group assignments will coalesce any auto-mation the duplicate track. The coalesced dupli-cate plays back exactly as if it were in the VCA group.
Split into Mono
This command splits a selected stereo or multi-channel track into individual mono tracks that can be edited and manipulated independently. The Split into Mono command cannot be un-done.
Chapter 6: Track Menu 27
Make Inactive or Make Active
This command makes selected tracks inactive, so that they no longer play back or use any DSP resources or voices. Inactive tracks can be made active again by choosing the Make Active com-mand.
Delete
This command removes tracks from a session. While audio or MIDI region data will remain in the Region List, the track and its arrangement of the regions on the deleted track (the track’s playlist) will be lost.
If the track contains playlists that are not as-signed to any track, you will be prompted to de-lete or retain them.
Deleting a VCA Master track will coalesce auto-mation from the VCA Master to all of its slave tracks.
Write MIDI Real-Time
Properties
This command applies MIDI quantization, dura-tion, delay, velocity, and transposition parame-ters during playback, as set in Real-Time Proper-ties View (in the Edit window) or in the MIDI Real-Time Properties dialog.
Set Record Tracks to Input
Only
(Pro Tools HD Only)
This command changes all record enabled tracks to monitor audio input only, regardless of any punch in or out selection.
Set Record Tracks to Auto
Input
(Pro Tools HD Only)
This command changes all record enabled tracks to automatically switch from monitoring input signals to monitoring recorded tracks. When set, record enabled tracks monitor audio input when the transport is stopped. When playback is started for a punch-in, Pro Tools monitors existing track material up until the punch point. While punched in, the input sig-nal is monitored. On punch-out, monitoring switches back to the existing track material. This is similar to the auto-switching logic found on digital and analog multitrack tape machines.
Auto Input Monitoring or Input
Only Monitoring
(Pro Tools LE and M-Powered Only)
Auto Input Monitoring
In this mode, when session playback is stopped, Pro Tools monitors audio input. When playback is started for a punch-in, Pro Tools monitors ex-isting track material up until the punch point. While punched in, the input signal is moni-tored. On punch-out, monitoring switches back to the existing track material. This is similar to the auto-switching logic found on digital and analog multitrack tape machines.
Input Only Monitoring
In this mode, when a track is record-enabled, Pro Tools monitors audio input only, regardless of any punch in or out selection.
Scroll To Track
This command lets you scroll directly to any track by position number. The Edit window tracks will scroll to bring the selected track to as close to the top as possible, and the Mix window tracks will scroll to bring the selected track as close to the left as possible.
Clear All Clip Indicators
This command clears all clip indication from all meters.
Coalesce VCA Master
Automation
(Pro Tools HD Only)
This command lets you commit, or coalesce, the contribution of a selected VCA Master track’s Volume and Mute automation to the tion playlists of its slave tracks (or VCA automa-tion across an Edit selecautoma-tion).
Coalesce Trim Automation
(Pro Tools HD Only)This command applies, or coalesces Trim auto-mation to the main autoauto-mation playlist by the following methods: After Every Pass, On Exiting Trim Mode, or Manually.
Clear Trim Automation
(Pro Tools HD Only)This command lets you clear Trim automation if it has not been coalesced on a track. When you clear Trim automation, automation breakpoints on all Trim playlists are deleted and all Trim fad-ers are reset to zero.
Create Click Track
This command lets you create one or more click tracks. Click tracks are Auxiliary Input tracks with the Click plug-in already inserted.
Chapter 7: Region Menu 29
chapter 7
Region Menu
Region menu commands are used to manage and edit regions.
Mute/Unmute Region
This command mutes playback of a selected re-gion. Choosing the Unmute command unmutes the region. This command does not create auto-mation data.
Lock/Unlock Region
This command locks a selected region in place so it cannot be moved unless you unlock it. This command is useful for permanently associating a region with a particular location in a track (such as a beat, SMPTE frame, or time value). A small lock icon appears in the region indicating it has been locked.
Send to Back
This command sends the selected region or gions behind any neighboring overlapping re-gions. If multiple overlapping regions are se-lected, Pro Tools will apply the command to each region as that region relates to the neigh-boring region on the right.
Bring To Front
This command brings the selected region or re-gions to the front of any neighboring overlap-ping regions. If multiple overlapoverlap-ping regions are selected, Pro Tools will apply the command to each region as that region relates to the neigh-boring region on the right.
Group
The Group command creates a region group from all elements in the current selection. Selec-tions can include audio, MIDI, or Video regions on one or more tracks. Multiple region groups can be selected and included in new region groups.
Ungroup
The Ungroup command unpacks the currently selected region group, revealing all underlying regions and any nested region groups. When there are multiple nested region groups, the Un-group command will unUn-group the front-most top-layer region group only, preserving any un-derlying region groups.
Ungroup All
The Ungroup All command removes all layers of region groups and nested region groups in the currently selected region in one step.
Regroup
The Regroup command undoes the last Un-group command and reUn-groups the individual re-gions back to their former region group state. This lets you ungroup a grouped region, edit its underlying regions, and regroup it to continue working on higher-level composition and ar-ranging.
Loop
The Loop command lets you loop audio, video, and MIDI regions.
Unloop
The Unloop command lets you switch looped regions back to standard (unlooped) regions so that they can be edited individually.
Capture Region
This command defines a selection as a new re-gion and adds it to the Rere-gion List. From there the new region can be dragged into a track. You cannot capture selections across multiple re-gions unless the data is contiguous material from the same file.
You can also use the Region > Ungroup command on looped regions to unloop and maintain all loop iterations as individual regions.
You can also use the Region > Ungroup All command on looped regions to flatten the looped regions into one region.
Chapter 7: Region Menu 31
Identify Sync Point and
Remove Sync Point
This command places a Sync Point at the cur-rent cursor location. When you identify a sync point, a small down arrow appears at the bot-tom of the region, with a vertical, light grey line indicating the location of the sync point. This Sync Point can then be used as the reference point—nudge, spot, move, and so on—instead of the region start or end. With Pro Tools HD or Pro Tools LE with DV Toolkit 2, when you choose this command, the current SMPTE time is automatically entered as the SMPTE location for the Sync Point.
To remove a Sync point from a region, select the region with the Grabber and choose Region > Remove Sync Point.
Quantize to Grid
This command adjusts the placement of a se-lected audio or MIDI region in a track so that its start point (or Sync Point, if it contains one) pre-cisely aligns to the nearest Grid boundary. Grid units are chosen from the Grid pop-up menu in the Edit window.
Chapter 8: Event Menu 33
chapter 8
Event Menu
The Event menu contains commands for editing
audio and MIDI events.
Time
Pro Tools provides several commands for defin-ing meter and time over a range of time (or mea-sures). The Time options include:
Operations Window
This command opens the Time Operations win-dow. This floating window lets you define meter, click, and song start options by choosing any of the following commands from the pop-up menu at the top of the window:
• Change Meter • Insert Time • Cut Time • Move Song Start
Event menu
Change Meter
The Change Meter command lets you specify complex meter changes for Bar|Beat-based mate-rial. You can enter meter changes at a particular bar, make a meter change over a selected area of time, or add meter changes sequentially one bar at a time.
Insert Time
The Insert Time command lets you insert an amount of blank time into conductor rulers, MIDI tracks, and audio tracks.
Cut Time
The Cut Time command lets you cut a specified amount of time from conductor rulers, MIDI tracks, and audio tracks.
Move Song Start
The Move Song Start command lets you redefine the location of the Song Start Marker.
T Time Operations window, Change Meter option
Time Operations window, Insert Time option
Time Operations window, Cut Time option
Chapter 8: Event Menu 35
Tempo
Pro Tools provides several commands for defin-ing tempo events over a range of time (or mea-sures). The Tempo commands include:
Operations Window
This command opens the Tempo Operations window. This window lets you define tempo events over a range of time (or measures) by choosing any of the following commands from the pop-up menu at the top of the window:
• Constant • Linear • Parabolic • S-Curve • Scale • Stretch
Constant
This command lets you create a constant tempo over a selected range of time.
Linear
This command lets you create tempos that change evenly over a selected range of time.
Parabolic
This command lets you create tempos that ac-celerate or deac-celerate following a tempo curve, which changes the tempo more rapidly or less rapidly over the selection time.
S-Curve
This command lets you create tempos that ac-celerate or deac-celerate following a tempo curve with a definable breakpoint that determines mid-curve times and tempo values.
Scale
This command lets you scale tempos within the selection by a percentage amount.
Stretch
This command lets you select a region of tempo events and apply them to a larger or smaller se-lection area.
MIDI
Pro Tools provides several commands for chang-ing MIDI data over a range of time (or mea-sures). The MIDI commands include:
Operations Window
This command opens the MIDI Operations win-dow. This floating window lets you configure specific MIDI data by choosing any of the fol-lowing commands from the pop-up menu at the top of the window:
• Grid/Groove Quantize • Restore Performance • Flatten Performance • Change Velocity • Change Duration • Transpose • Select/Split Notes • Input Quantize • Step Input
Grid/Groove Quantize
This command lets you adjust the placement of selected MIDI events in a track using Grid or Groove Quantize.
Grid Quantize lets you adjust the placement of selected MIDI events in a track so that their start or end points precisely align to the quantization value chosen.
Groove Quantize lets you adjust the placement of selected MIDI events in a track so that their timings, durations, and velocities align to the selected groove template grid. Pro Tools installs several pre-defined groove templates for use on all Pro Tools systems. With Pro Tools HD, Digi-Groove templates can be created using Beat De-tective.
MIDI Operations window, Transpose page
Chapter 8: Event Menu 37
Restore Performance
This command lets you restore the original MIDI performance regardless of how many edits you’ve made or whether or not the undo queue has been cleared (for example, by saving the ses-sion). One or more of the following note at-tributes can be restored: Timing (Quantization), Duration, Velocity, and Pitch.
Flatten Performance
This command lets you lock the specified cur-rent note parameters as the “restore to” state, overriding the original performance. One or more of the following note attributes can be flat-tened: Timing (Quantization), Duration, Veloc-ity, and Pitch. Flatten Performance can be un-done.
\
Change Velocity
This command lets you adjust attack and release velocities for selected MIDI notes. Use it to make notes louder or softer, or to create a crescendo or diminuendo.
MIDI Operations window, Restore Performance page
MIDI Operations window, Flatten Performance page
Change Duration
This command lets you adjust the duration for selected MIDI notes. It can be used to make mel-odies and phrases more staccato or more legato.
Transpose
This command transposes selected MIDI notes in key up or down by scale steps.
MIDI Operations window, Change Duration page
Chapter 8: Event Menu 39
Select/Split Notes
The Select/Split Notes command provides tools to do the following:
• Select MIDI notes based on pitch, velocity, du-ration, and position. These controls can be used to select a single note or note range for the entire length of a region or track. • Split selected note and controller to the
clip-board, to new tracks, or multiple new tracks based on pitch (one new track is created for each different pitch in the selection). The Select/Split Notes window can be used to quickly extract a melody line from a keyboard performance. Or, select a drum kit or similar multi-voice performance track and automati-cally create multiple new tracks, one for each pitch in the selection.
Input Quantize
This command lets you quantize MIDI notes as they are performed and recorded. While this will improve the strict rhythmic accuracy of a performance, it can also give it a stiff, mechani-cal feel. To preserve the original rhythmic nu-ances of a performance, experiment with lower Strength settings, or deselect the Enable input quantize option.
MIDI Operations window, Select/Split Notes page
Step Input
This command lets you use a MIDI controller to enter notes individually, one step at a time. This gives you precise control over note placement, duration, and velocity. With MIDI step input you can also create musical passages that might be difficult to play accurately, or at a fast tempo.
MIDI Event List
This command opens the MIDI Event List win-dow. This floating window shows the contents of a MIDI track in a single list., so you can quickly insert, edit, or locate any type of MIDI data using your computer keyboard.
MIDI Track Offsets
This command opens the MIDI Track Offsets window. This window lets you create timing off-sets for MIDI tracks to compensate for MIDI-to-audio latencies in hardware-based or software-based MIDI synthesizers.
MIDI Operations window, Step Input page
MIDI Event List
Chapter 8: Event Menu 41 By configuring a MIDI offset, you can make
MIDI tracks play back slightly earlier (by a spe-cific number of samples), thereby compensating for any audio monitoring latencies. MIDI offsets affect playback only and do not alter how MIDI data is displayed in the Edit window.
MIDI Real-Time Properties
This command opens the Real-Time Properties window. This window lets you adjust and apply MIDI quantization, duration, delay, velocity, and transposition parameters during playback.Remove Duplicate Notes
The Remove Duplicate Notes command lets you quickly identify and remove MIDI notes that were unintentional “double-hits.”
If a note starts within the first 25% of the dura-tion of a note of the same pitch which is already sounding (or within an eighth-note, whichever is shorter), it is considered a duplicate and is combined with the previous note. If a note starts later than 25% of the duration, it is considered to be a new, distinct note, and is shortened so that it ends at the same tick at which the next note starts.
Add Key Change
This command opens the Key Change dialog, which lets you specify the mode (major or mi-nor), the key (from seven flats to seven sharps), the range affected (for example, from Bar 1 to the next key change), and whether existing notes on pitched MIDI and Instrument tracks are transposed.
Beat Detective
This command opens the Beat Detective win-dow. Beat Detective automatically detects the tempo of a session and conforms an audio track or selection to that tempo by separating it into regions and aligning it to the beats. Beat Detec-tive is ideal for tailoring a performance to a groove. For detailed information about Beat De-tective, refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
MIDI Real-Time Properties window
Identify Beat
This command lets you establish a tempo/meter map for audio that was recorded without listen-ing to a click, or for imported audio with un-known tempos.
The Identify Beat command analyzes a selection range (usually with a distinct number of beats or measures) and calculates its tempo based on the specified meter. In doing this, Bar|Beat markers for the calculated tempo are inserted and appear in the Tempo Ruler at the beginning and end of the selection. in addition, meter events are in-serted into the Meter Ruler.
Renumber Bars
This command lets you renumber the bars in the session, effectively changing the bar loca-tions for all regions, meter and tempo events while leaving their position intact. In doing so, however, the SMPTE and sample locations of the session data are not changed.
All MIDI Notes Off
This command sends an All Notes Off MIDI message to all MIDI devices connected to your system to silence any stuck notes.
Identify Beat dialog
Chapter 9: AudioSuite Menu 43
chapter 9
AudioSuite Menu
The AudioSuite™ menu allows you to access all AudioSuite plug-ins currently installed in your system’s Plug-ins folder. AudioSuite plug-ins are non-real-time, file-based processing plug-ins for Pro Tools.
This chapter includes all the AudioSuite plug-in categories and the DigiRack plug-ins that are in-cluded in them.
EQ Plug-ins
1 Band, 2–4 Band, and 7 Band EQ III The EQ III plug-ins adjust the frequency spec-trum of an audio selection. These plug-ins are flexible EQ types for maximum CPU and DSP ef-ficiency.
On the 1 Band EQ, the EQ Type selector lets you choose any one of six available filter types: High-Pass, Notch, High-Shelf, Low-Shelf, Peak, and Low-Pass.
On the 7 Band EQ and the 2–4 Band EQ, the HPF, LPF, LF, and HF sections have EQ Type se-lectors to toggle between the two available filter types in each section.
AudioSuite menu (plug-ins organized by Flat List)
AudioSuite menu (organized by Category)
For details on each of the AudioSuite plug-ins, refer to the DigiRack Plug-ins Guide.
1-Band EQ II and 4-Band EQ II
The EQ II plug-ins adjust the frequency spec-trum of an audio selection. The 1-band EQ can be configured as a pass, low-shelf, high-shelf, low-pass, or peak EQ. The 4-band EQ pro-vides one high-shelf, one low-shelf, and two peak EQs.
Dynamics Plug-ins
Compressor/Limiter IIIThe Compressor/Limiter III plug-in applies ei-ther compression or limiting to audio material, depending on the ratio of compression used. The Compressor reduces the dynamic range of signals that exceed a selected threshold by a spe-cific amount.
The Limiter is used to prevent signal peaks from ever exceeding a chosen level so that they do not overload amplifiers or recording devices. Expander/Gate III
The Expander/Gate III plug-in applies expan-sion or gating to audio material, depending on the ratio setting.
The Expander/Gate plug-in is useful for reduc-ing noise or signal leakage that creeps into re-corded material as its level falls, as often occurs in the case of headphone leakage.
De-Esser III
The De-Esser reduces sibilants and other high frequency noises that can occur in vocals, voice-overs, and wind instruments such as flutes. These sounds can cause peaks in an audio signal and lead to distortion.
The DeEsser reduces these unwanted sounds us-ing fast-actus-ing compression. A Threshold con-trol sets the level above which compression starts, and a Frequency control sets the fre-quency band in which the DeEsser operates.
Pitch Shift Plug-ins
Pitch ShiftThe Pitch Shift plug-in changes the pitch of the currently selected region, with or without changing its duration. It also allows you to per-form Time Compression/Expansion on your se-lection simultaneously with a pitch change. Time Shift
The Time Shift plug-in provides high quality time compression and expansion algorithms and formant correct pitch shifting. Time Shift is ideal for music production, sound design, and post-production applications. Use it to manipu-late audio loops for tempo matching or to trans-pose vocal tracks using formant correct pitch shifting. You can also use Time Shift in audio post-production for pull up and pull down con-versions as well as for adjusting audio to specific time or SMPTE durations for synchronization purposes.
Reverb Plug-ins
D-VerbD-Verb is a studio-quality reverb. Reverberation processing can simulate the complex natural re-flections and echoes that occur after a sound has been produced, imparting a sense of an acoustic environment. D-Verb artificially creates a sound space with a specific acoustic character.
Chapter 9: AudioSuite Menu 45
Delay Plug-ins
Delay
The Delay plug-in provides time delay-based ef-fects, with up to 10.9 seconds of delay (regard-less of the sample rate). In addition to long de-lays, you can create many delay-based effects with this plug-in, including slap echo, doubling, chorusing, and flanging.
Multi-Tap Delay
The Multi-Tap Delay plug-in adds up to four in-dependently-controllable delays or taps to the original audio signal. By allowing you to indi-vidually control the delay time and number of repetitions of each of the four taps, the Multi-Tap delay provides greater flexibility than stan-dard single-delay devices.
Ping-Pong Delay
The Ping-Pong Delay plug-in modifies an audio signal by adding a controllable delay to the orig-inal signal. It is ideal for adding spatialization, and when used in stereo, adds panned echo to virtually any instrument. In stereo mode, this plug-in will feed back delayed signals to their opposite channels, creating a characteristic ping-pong echo effect.
Modulation Plug-ins
ChorusThe Chorus plug-in modifies an audio signal by combining a time-delayed, pitch-shifted copy with the original signal. It is ideal for thickening and adding a shimmering quality to guitars, keyboards, and other instruments.
Flanger
The Flanger plug-in combines a time-delayed, pitch shifted copy of an audio signal with itself. The Flanger differs from other digital flangers in that it uses a thru-zero flanging algorithm that results in a truer tape-like flange. This technique delays the original dry signal very slightly (ap-proximately 256 samples), then modulates the delayed signal back and forth in time in relation to the dry signal, passing through its zero point on the way.
Harmonic Plug-ins
Harmonic plug-ins include plug-ins that change the harmonic quality of audio (such as Aphex Aural Exciter).
Noise Reduction Plug-ins
Noise Reduction plug-ins (such as Sonic No-NOISE) are used for removing pops, clicks, hum, and other unwanted noise that occur in audio.Instrument Plug-ins
Instrument plug-ins include soft synths or re-combinatorial rhythm machines (such as Digi-design’s Synchronic plug-in).
